Volodymyr was an outstanding statesman and politician who ruled Kyivan Rus from the year 980 to 1015.

Kyiv was the first city in ancient Rus to adopt Christianity.

According to the Primary Chronicle, which tells th history of Kyivan Rus from about 850 to 1110, Volodymyr the Great was himself baptized in Chersonesus and proceeded to baptize his family and people in Kyiv back in 988.

In the next centuries Christianity spread across all Rus to become its core religion.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called upon all the faithful to pray for those warriors who defended and continue to defend Ukraine.

"Let the patron saint of our Rus-Ukraine, Volodymyr the Great, join us in prayers to banish the intruders. Rising a cross in one hand, he is keeping hold on a sword in another hand – to defend Ukraine,"the president said.